Palliative and end of life care at home
When someone you love is seriously ill, what matters most is comfort, dignity and time together. Many people want to spend this time at home, surrounded by family and the things they love. Caring for them through it can be both a gift and one of the hardest things a family ever does.
At Always Responsive Home Care, our compassionate caregivers provide gentle, around the clock support at home, working alongside your hospice or palliative care team, so your loved one is comfortable and your family can focus on being together.
From our office in Cranford, serving Union County, NJ.
Filling the gaps between hospice visits
Hospice and palliative teams provide wonderful medical support. Nurses visit on a schedule and are available by phone around the clock. But in most cases, they do not stay in the home for long stretches of time. That leaves families providing most of the hands on care themselves, often day and night.
That is where we come in. Our caregivers fill the hours between visits with personal care, comfort and companionship, so your family can rest, sleep and spend time simply being with your loved one.
Palliative care and hospice
Palliative care can begin at any stage of a serious illness, even alongside treatment, and focuses on comfort and quality of life. Hospice focuses on comfort at the end of life. Our support at home looks the same in both, gentle, attentive care that follows your loved one's wishes and the plan set by their medical team.
How our caregivers help
- Personal care Gentle bathing, changing, incontinence care, mouth care and skin care with lotion
- Repositioning Turning and repositioning on the schedule set by the hospice nurse, and watching for skin breakdown
- Comfort with food and fluids Small favorite foods, sips of water and mouth swabs
- Medications Medication reminders. Medications are given by family or the hospice nurse.
- Companionship Reading aloud, playing favorite music or simply sitting together
- Watching for changes Noticing changes in breathing, pain, restlessness or eating and letting your family and the hospice team know right away
- Overnight and longer shifts Overnight and longer shifts so family members can sleep and rest
- Light housekeeping and laundry Light housekeeping and laundry so your family doesn't have to worry about the house
Support for your whole family
This is an emotional time, and no family should have to go through it alone. Our caregivers bring calm, steady support into the home, and our team is here for you around the clock. Many families tell us that having a caregiver there allowed them to stop being caregivers for a little while and simply be a husband, wife, son or daughter again.
It starts with a free in home assessment
The best time to call us is when a palliative team or hospital case manager first mentions home care. Our registered nurse will visit for a free, no obligation assessment and, with your permission, coordinate with your hospice nurse. We will adjust hours, overnights or around the clock care as needs change, and work with you to make care as affordable as possible.
Why families trust Always Responsive Home Care
Our caregivers are our employees, bonded, insured and supervised by our care team, and a real person answers our calls and texts 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including holidays. Care can often start the very same day, with no long term contracts, no large deposits and nothing billed in advance, and we handle the paperwork for long term care insurance.
Ways to schedule palliative care
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24/7 care
Awake, alert caregivers around the clock, so your loved one is never alone.
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Overnight care
An awake, alert caregiver through the night so your family can sleep.
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Hourly care
Help during the most important parts of the day, or a break for family caregivers.
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Live-in care
A dedicated caregiver who lives in your loved one's home.
Frequently asked questions
Still have a question? Call or text us. Someone is here to talk, any time of day.
(908) 691-3660Click or tap a question to see the answer.
Do you replace hospice?
No. We work alongside your hospice or palliative team. They provide the medical care, and we provide the hands on personal care, comfort and companionship in between their visits.
Does hospice pay for a caregiver to stay with my loved one?
Hospice generally covers visits from nurses, aides and other team members, but it usually does not cover a caregiver staying in the home for long stretches of time. Many families add our care to fill those hours. Our services are private pay, and if your loved one has long term care insurance, we take care of the administrative work for you.
Is there anything your caregivers can't help with?
Our caregivers provide non-medical care. They can give medication reminders, but medications are given by family or the hospice nurse. Our caregivers do not provide skilled nursing, and they follow the plan set by your loved one's hospice or palliative team.
How quickly can care start?
Care can often start the very same day. A real person answers our calls and texts 24/7, so you can reach us any time.
We are here for your family
If someone you love is facing a serious illness, you don't have to carry it alone. Call or text us today, or fill out the form below. We will listen, answer your questions and help your family focus on what matters most.
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